Chapter 178
[ 525 words ]
Chapter 178:
“Inside is the organic chicken and the antibiotics,” Caroline said, her voice carrying the absolute authority of the lady of the house. “You will give him fresh water every four hours. If he whines, you will sit on the floor and pet his head until he stops. Do you understand?”
Bell’s jaw locked. The muscles in his thick neck bulged. He looked as if he had just been ordered to walk barefoot through a minefield.
“Yes, ma’am,” Bell forced the words through his teeth. He stiffly reached out and took the bag.
Caroline nodded, turned around, and stepped into the private elevator.
Forty minutes later, the gray sedan dropped her off at the front entrance of the Washington United Medical Center.
The moment Caroline pushed through the double doors and stepped into the emergency department hallway, the hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up.
𝘛𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗈𝘴𝗍 р𝗼p𝘶l𝖺𝘳 𝗻ovе𝘭ѕ oո 𝗀a𝗹𝗇ov𝘦𝘭𝗌.co𝗆
The air in the corridor was thick and heavy with a strange, buzzing tension.
A group of nurses who usually stood near the supply closet gossiping saw her walking toward them. They instantly stopped talking. They scattered like roaches when the lights turn on, pressing themselves against the walls. Their eyes tracked her every movement, filled with a sickening mixture of fear and excited anticipation.
Caroline’s CIA instincts flared. Her stomach tightened. Something was wrong.
She reached the main nurses’ station. Dr. Finchley, the department head, was standing behind the counter. His face was pale and deeply lined with stress.
He saw Caroline and immediately walked around the desk. He did not say good morning.
“Thompson,” Dr. Finchley said, his voice low and tight. “Do not clock in. I need you to follow me to the third-floor administrative conference room. Right now.”
Caroline didn’t ask questions. She dropped her bag behind the counter and followed him to the elevator.
Dr. Finchley pushed open the heavy oak door of the HR conference room.
Caroline stepped inside. The temperature in the room felt ten degrees colder than the hallway.
Sitting at the far end of the long mahogany table was the hospital’s director of human resources. Sitting across from him was Eva Rostova, a senior ER nurse known for her ambition and a network of hospital gossip that rivaled the CIA’s. Her arms were crossed, and her lips were pressed into a thin, righteous line. Two other junior nurses flanked her, looking nervous but determined.
Dr. Finchley walked in behind Caroline and closed the door. The heavy click of the latch sounded like a prison cell locking.
The HR director cleared his throat. He adjusted his glasses and looked at Caroline with a severe, bureaucratic glare.
“Ms. Thompson,” the director began, his voice dripping with corporate formality. “We have called you here today because Human Resources has received a formal complaint regarding a serious breach of professional conduct.”
Caroline stood perfectly still. She did not sit down.
“The complaint,” the director continued, reading from a file, “alleges that you have been using your… external connections to create an environment of favoritism and professional intimidation. It specifically cites the unusual speed of your promotion to a senior role and the recent, abrupt reassignments of several staff members who had previously filed minor grievances against you.”
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